1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional shaping method and a shaped, object complex as well as a three-dimensional shaping apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a three-dimensional shaping method to a form a three-dimensional shaped object (three-dimensional object) by using a powder stacking method, and a shaped object complex for use in the three-dimensional shaping method, as well as a three-dimensional shaping apparatus to conduct the three-dimensional shaping method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A three-dimensional stack shaping method is known as a method of forming (shaping) a three-dimensional shaped object. The three-dimensional stack shaping method is roughly as follows: In accordance with three-dimensional data regarding a target shaped object, hierarchical data indicating hierarchical shapes of the shaped object that is sliced into layers in a particular direction, and material layers patterned into shapes corresponding to the hierarchical data are sequentially stacked to form a shaped object. Here, for example, a powder stacking method that uses powder is known as the three-dimensional stack shaping method. This stack shaping method is capable of directly manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object from three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) data, and is therefore a technique that has rapidly spread along with the spread and utilization of the three-dimensional CAD in designing and manufacturing sites.
The above-mentioned powder stacking method forms a three-dimensional shaped object by stacking layers upward while repeating the process of thinly spreading a powder material on the upper surface of a stage and using, for example, a binder, heat, or a photo-curing substance to cure (bind) the powder material in a region corresponding to the above-mentioned hierarchical data and form a combination of one material layer. Here, in this powder stacking method, shaped objects are stacked and formed in the stacked powder material. The feature of this method is that a three-dimensional shaped object can be easily and satisfactorily formed by the removal of the uncured powder material after the formation of the shaped object. In particular, layers of combinations are formed, and an inkjet method used in inkjet printers to discharge the above-mentioned binder from a printer head is applied as a means of joining (firmly bonding) the layers of the combinations, so that the already established Inkjet printer technique can be used to easily and satisfactorily form a three-dimensional shaped object. A three-dimensional shaping technique that uses the above-mentioned powder stacking method is described in detail in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2008-302701.
However, as the shaped object is buried into the stacked powder material and thus manufactured, the visibility of the completed shaped object buried in the powder material is low. Particularly, if a plurality of shaped objects are simultaneously manufactured, the shaped objects tend to bump into each other when taken out from the powder material in which the shaped objects are buried. The three-dimensional shaped object formed by the three-dimensional shaping method that uses the above-mentioned powder stacking method is generally lower in flexibility than shaped objects formed by shaping methods or forming method that use other materials. Therefore, this three-dimensional shaped object is unfortunately easy to break, for example, when being formed or taken out. Disadvantageously, this three-dimensional shaped object is thus unsuited for mass production.